The above photos show the destruction occurring because of mountaintop removal mining in West Virginia. The photo on the left is a normal mountain range before any mountaintop removal coal mining. The photo on the right shows the waste caused by mountaintop removal mining. We understand the need to mine coal for energy. We are not adverse to properly regulated underground coal mines which have produced the majority of our nation's coal in the past. During mountaintop removal mining, an entire mountain range is destroyed to save money in mining operations. The natural beauty and ecological system of these mountain ranges never returns to normal. The goal should be to restore a better balance between the natural ecological system and economic growth. We enlist your help to fund operations to educate and protect areas affected by this type of mining.